This anthology demonstrates to the full just how rewarding an art form the aphorism can be, and just how brilliantly the aphorist can illuminate the hidden truth, or lay bare the ironies of existence. Specific sections including 'Religion', 'Money & Rank', 'Men, Women, Marriage' and 'Politics', cover the whole range of aphoristic literature. This book brings together the most diverse figures-the classic aphorists, like La Rochefoucauld; the philosophers, from the Greeks to Samuel Johnson to Virginia Woolf-as well as statesmen, scientists, boulevardiers, Olympians, and gadflies. John Gross draws on their wisdom and wit to produce an anthology that will be referred to time and time again.

About the Author
John Gross was editor of the Times Literary Supplement from 1974 to 1981 and on the staff of the New York Times from 1983 to 1988. He has been theatre critic of the Sunday Telegraph since 1989 and is the editor of other Oxford anthologies and After Shakespeare: An Anthology, published this year to rave reviews.

Reviews
Review from previous edition 'entertaining, thoughtful, splendidly varied' * Kingsley Amis *
'an admirable collection' * Anthony Burgess *
'And now, from the people who bring you the best anthologies, one of their best anthologies' * Christopher Ricks, Sunday Times *
'a really splendid book' * Observer *
'fascinating ... [the reader] will experience the delight of having his worst fears for the human race confirmed with brevity and style' * Quentin Crisp *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192804563
Author John Gross
Format Paperback
Page Count 394
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 265g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 21mm